CAST 277 - Rap the Disco, Punk the Queen: Music of the 1970s

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
The 1970s saw a dramatic shift in styles, technologies, and consumption of popular music. The rock industry coalesced while genres splintered, pushing listeners into marketable boxes. In this course, students will uncover the layers of political, social, and cultural shifts in the 1970s that continue to shape and reshape rock and roll and its branches. We will explore hip-hop, punk, prog rock, synth pop, glam, arena rock, metal, disco, R&B, and more. Artists pushed technological innovations as they often eschewed popularity for the sake of their music. Meanwhile, genres re-segregated often along racial lines, producing hotly contested releases that sometimes garnered dramatic critical reception.

This course is appropriate for new students.